EXCLUSIVE: British brothers orphaned in tsunami to open children's home in parents' memory

EXCLUSIVE: British brothers orphaned in tsunami to open children's home in parents' memory

WHEN two British brothers lost their parents in the Boxing Day tsunami ten years ago, they refused to let their horrendous experience get the better of them – and a decade later have found themselves at the head of a company helping other orphans.

Rob and Paul Forkman were aged 13 and 11 respectively when their parents Kevin and Sandra took them out of school for an exotic trip to the other side of the Earth.

Alongside two of their other siblings, 9-year-old Mattie and 5-year-old Rosie, the family left their lives in Croydon, south London, to see the world.

The family spent time volunteering with local charities in India, before moving on to Sri Lanka.

They spent a happy Christmas Day in 2004 in the small fishing town of Weligama on the Indian Ocean island – but disaster struck the very next day.

A huge wave tore through the town and, although the Forkman children survived, their parents were tragically killed.

In total, the 2004 disaster claimed the lives of 227,898 people – including 155 British citizens – across the Indian Ocean coastline.

GANDYS

The boys with some of the other orphans they have been able to help

We wanted to do something that would reflect the values and vision that our parents gave us

Rob Forkan

Following the death of their parents, the Forkman children were supported by friends and family once they arrived back in Britain, after a nightmare journey home.

But knowing there were many others left orphaned by the tsunami who had no such support, Rob and Paul were desperate to do something to help.

Their company, Gandys, was soon born, selling flip flops to fund projects helping children affected by the disaster under the banner "orphans for orphans".

Rob explained: "We had a unique upbringing travelling all around India and the subcontinent volunteering and seeing the incredible culture of other countries.

"We wanted to do something that would reflect the values and vision that our parents gave us and we thought we'd be able to do this through Gandys."

The project provided the brothers with a focus as they came to terms with their own grief.

GANDYS

The Forkan brothers met Prince Harry wearing their flip flops

Rob said: "For us it's been a distraction to some degree. Our parents always taught us that if something negative happens, you should try to turn it into a positive.

"Because of all that travelling and volunteering that we did with them, we always saw kids that were in some pretty horrific situations – and obviously we had our own horrific experience – so we've tried to continue what we were taught."

Rob and Paul, now 27 and 25 respectively, are now set to open a children's home in Sri Lanka and have high hopes for the future.

Rob said: "We've done quite a lot in a short space of time and we've put a lot of effort into what we've done. It's been a lot of hard work and there have been lots of highs and lows.

"If we can just keep growing what we're doing with Gandy's and hopefully we'll be able to have children's homes all around the world.

"That's what we're working towards but it was only a couple of years ago we were in our bedroom and now we're building a children's home with a team at Gandy's which is growing.

"With all of that put in place and working with more stores and things like that, we'd love to go and do more."

The brothers, who now live in Southfields in south-west London, enjoy travelling out to see the difference they have been able to make to youngsters' lives across the planet.

Rob said: "Amongst all the hard work it's nice that you get to go and do things like that because that's what gives you the drive and passion to do what we do."

Far from being put off from travelling or volunteering by their experience, they have been spurred on to do even more to help those in need.

Rob added: "Things have come full circle - that's what we were doing before [the tsunami].

"We had that tragic experience but Gandys has enabled us to continue travelling and volunteering doing projects."

For more information on Gandys and the Orphans for Orphans project, click here